Vehicle-top.



H. C. MARTELL.

VEHICLE TOP. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1909.

Patented June 7,1910.

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H. C. MARTELL.

VEHICLE TOP. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 22, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

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HERBERT C. MARTELL, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN.

i VEHICLE-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June "7, 1910.

Application filed June 22, 1909. Serial No. 503,604.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT C. MARTELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flint, in the county of Genesee, State of `Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in vehicle tops, and consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a top in which the usual front bow is dispensed. with, the hood or front of the top being supported from and by the center bow.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof: Figure 1 is a side view of the frame, showing the top open or extended; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the top closed; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side view of the hood supporting mechanism; Fig. t is a plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of the same figure.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the frame of the top consists of two bows 1 and 2, the arms 7 of the bow 1 being pivoted to brackets 3 on each side of the vehicle seat et, as at 5, and each arm adjacent to the pivot is provided with a lateral lug 6, to which is pivoted the adj acent arm 8 of the bow 2.

The top is retained in upright position by the usual ointed brace, consisting of the sections 9 and 10 connected by a rule joint 11, the outer end of the section 9 being pivoted to the adjacent arm 7 of the bow 1, while the outer end of the section 10 is pivoted to a bracket 12 on the adjacent end of the seat.

The front bow 13, when the top is open or up, extends forwardly at substantially a right angle to the center bow 1, and the front, center and rear bows are connected by the usual webbing 14. of flexible material, the said webbing limiting the unfolding movement of the bows with respect to each other, and the bows are covered by the usual covering of leather or the like.

'Ihe body portion of the bow 13 is of wood, as shown, but may be of any other suitable material, and the arms 15 are preferably of metal, and are bolted to the ends of the body portion by bolts 16, and the free end of each arm is rounded as shown at 17 and provided with an opening therethrough. Each arm is pivoted to a lever 18 at approximately the center thereof by a bolt 17, which passes through the opening of the arm, and an opening in the lever-registering therewith, and the inner end of the lever is pivoted between a pair of ears 20 on a bracket 21, which is secured to the adjacent arm of the center bow by bolts 22.

At its inner end the lever is provided with a foot or lateral lug 23, through which is threaded a set-screw 24, the inner end of the screw bearing on the face of the bracket 21, and the lug extends upwardly from the lever, as shown in Fig. 3. Near the free end of the lever it is provided with a lateral .lug or finger piece 25, and near the finger piece the arm 15 is provided with an overhanging lug or catch 26 for limiting the downward movement of the lever.

The operation of the improved top is as follows: lVhen it is in the open position shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to close the same, the jointed brace is broken, which permits the center bow 1 to fold onto the bow 2, and the latter to fold back upon the bracket 12, which is provided with the usual roller 27 for supporting the same. The bow 1 follows the direction shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, as does also the pivot 11 of the brace. The free ends of the levers 18 are now disengaged from the catches 26 by lifting them upward and then moving them laterally, and the levers are folded downwardly onto the adjacent arms 7, following the direction of the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. As the lever moves downwardly the bow 13 is folded upwardly, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, onto the bow 1, or the bow 13 may be first folded onto the bow 1 and the bows 1 and 2 afterward folded, if so desired. By loosening or tightening the set-screw 24, all lost motion, due to wear, etc., may be taken up between the hood and the remainder of the top.

It will be evident from the description that, when extended, the improved top forms an efficient covering for the vehicle and without rendering it difficult to enter and depart therefrom, since the usual front bow is dispensed with, and that, when folded, it is compactly stored away in a minimum of space.

I claim:

A vehicle top, comprising a center bow pivoted to the vehicle, a rear bow pivoted to the arms of the center bow near their connection with the vehicle, folding braces connect-ing the center bow with the vehicle, a front bow, brackets on the center bow near the junction of the arms with the body portion, a lever pivoted to each bracket and having at its free end a lateral lug or finger piece, one of the arms of the front bow being pivoted to each lever intermediate the ends of the said lever, and a catch on the arm between the finger piece and the pivotal connection of the arm with the lever, the end oi' the lever resting upon the said catch when l the top is in upright position, and retaining the lever in alinement with the arm of the bow, said lever having a lateral lug at the end connected with the bracket, and the brackets having an upward extension, and a setscrew threaded through the lug and engaging the extension for limiting the upward movement of the said lever.

HERBERT C. MARTELL. Witnesses JARED VAN VLEET, MABm MACNAIR. 

